Monday, August 25, 2014

President Barack Obama has developed a reputation about enjoying the perks of being President, which includes frequent travel on the taxpayers dime and fancy socializing. As the world is in crisis in the Gaza War, the shadow War in Eastern Ukraine, ISIS terrorism in the Levant and Iraq as well as racial unrest in Ferguson, Missouri, President Obama chose to take another extended vacation to Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts to enjoy some (more) golf and rub shoulders with the rich and famous.

The Obama Vineyard Presidential statement occurred simultaneously as James Foley's parents grieved on camera about their murdered hostage son. This golf gaffe really stuck in the craw of the Media and called further attention to President Obama's seeming obsession with golf.

Mark Knoeller, a veteran White House reporter who felt frustrated over how the Oval Office controlled news going to pool reporters, developed a practical metric for measuring the Commander-in-Chief performance-- study their official schedules. Thus it can be noted that President Obama has shot 186 rounds of golf (so far) in his Presidency. It has been observed that Mr. Obama is slow on the links, taking over five hours to complete an 18 hole course. That tots up to 38.75 full days on the green, or 116 average work days, or 23 1/4 average work weeks. No wonder why Greg Gutfeld asserts that Obama is addicted to golf.

But it is not just the "right wing" media who are seizing upon this obsession with golf. The New York Times columnist Maureen Dowd penned a satirical piece titled "The Golf Address" which parodies the Gettysburg Address. Perhaps Dowd's overdosing on a cannabis candy bar contributed to the satire of Mr. Obama's favorite President (aside from himself). When you've lost a lefty life Maureen Dowd, this should not be dismissed as silly season stuff or partisan politics.

The White House has argued that the modern President is never really on vacation as he is accompanied by a gaggle of advisers and communication equipment. Of course, Mr. Obama bragged about having his phone and his pen. All of that is well and good, but does that stand up to real world scrutiny?

Thursday, August 21, 2014

Richard Dawkins, the acclaimed atheist ethologist from Oxford University stirred up a cyclone of controversy on social media with a Twitter posting on the morality of aborting a Down's Syndrome child in-utero. When someone commented that she would not know what she would do if she were pregnant with a child having an extra chromosome, Dawkins doubled down on his "progressive position". Dawkins answering like "Dear Abby (the atheist edition)" wrote: “Abort it and try again. It would be immoral to bring it into the world if you have the choice.” So abortion was not only an option for "The God Delusion" author, Dawkins demands that it is immoral for women to deliver a child afflicted with Down's Syndrome.Reading Dawkins declarations closely, it is quite revealing of his weltanschauung. As an atheist, Dawkins does not draw from any moral compass. So it is not surprising that he liberally latches unto "an individual woman's right to choose. Later referring to a fetus as "it", Dawkins detaches personhood from an unborn child. Dawkins pontificating that the only moral choice is to kill a defective child ought to please both Social Darwinists (survival of the fittest) and the ironically named humanists (the banner which binds British atheists activists).Two things should trouble the intelligentsia from Dawkins Down's Syndrome declarations. Firstly, Dawkins prefaced the right of women for early abortions, not abortion on demand until childbirth. So it seems at some point personhood is bestowed on an unborn fetus. Or is abortion just less mentally messy when the victim does not look like an unborn child. The other aspect which can be inferred from "Abort it and try again" aspires for a utopian perfection in offspring. Such a callous attitude can easily devolve into getting rid of undesirable elements in society, be it physically deformed, mentally challenged or part of an undesirable group.Sadly, Dawkins Social Darwinism for Down's Syndrome children seems prevalent in the United Kingdom. Currently, 92% of pregnant women diagnosed with Down's Syndrome children aborted their unborn children. Moreover, half of all such cases go unreported. There are concerns that if the National Health System (NHS) expands the super accurate Ariosa Harmony testing, this figure will become nearly total, especially if NHS threatens to withhold special care for Down's Syndrome children.It did not take long for former Governor Sarah Palin (R-AK) to respond to Dawkin's dialectic. Palin famously campaigned for Vice President in 2008 with her young son Trig, who has Down's Syndrome. Palin took her seven years of experience being a mother of a Down's Syndrome Child when she reached out to Richard Dawkins via Facebook.

. Palin's folksy riposte to Dawkins displays a positive sense of humanity that the learned professor lacks. In addition, Ms. Palin's Facebook posting alludes to her Down's Syndrome child as having a unique kind of absolute beauty. This echos Governor Palin's peroration when speaking before a Right to Life Conference.

Many will dismiss the message as it came from Sarah Palin, who our "intellectual betters" from academia and the media deemed as dumb "Caribou Barbie". Yet Palin's testimony rings true and advocates valuing the individual whereas Dawkin's tweets sound abstract and collectivist.

So as these cultural catalysts clash on social media, perhaps it can bring us to understand how we approach ourselves and society. Our we driven by the selfish gene as Dawkins theorized in genetics or can we inculcate altruism? Palin preaches that mothers should be open to Downs Syndrome children, but is that openness a moral imperative?

President Obama's photo op was not generally well received even in the liberal Lamestream Media. Some journalists criticized Mr. Obama's informality, speaking on such a serious subject without wearing a tie. Another complaint was President Obama referring to the slain American as "Jim", as if the President had personally known the deceased hostage. The vacuousness of the comments did not satisfy the hunger in the public to do something. To that end, there were governmental leaks about a failed hostage rescue by American armed forces. What seemed to be most damaging was the optic about Mr. Obama shifting from being Mourner in Chief to golfing with Alonzo Mourning so quickly after the event.

On MSNBC's "The Morning Joe", host Joe Scarborough offered an alternative take on what the New York Daily News dubbed "Bama's Golf War".

Pro arguendo, if President Obama is intentionally projecting an image of being a cold customer to intimidate ISIS, it is worth considering the results of this "strategerie".

In attempt to be charitable, one hopes that this is not a concerted strategy from Obama's Oval Office (or putting green), but is a manifestation of a Celebrity-in-Chief who is just playing through-- same as it ever was.

Governor Rick Perry (R-TX) was indicted by federal grand jury in Travis County, Texas on two counts of abuse of power. In 2013, Travis County District Attorney Rosemary Lehmberg was arrested for DWI with a blood alcohol level of .239 (thrice the legal limit). Governor Perry refused to fund the Travis County D.A.'s office with $7.5 million of state funds as Mr. Perry cited a loss of confidence in the office while Lehmberg was still in office. For publicly acting under the authority of his office as Governor, Mr. Perry potentially faces 99 years in prison. Despite this potential outcome, Governor Perry insists that he would do it again.

Governor Perry submitted to a mug shot at the Travis County courthouse which could be mistaken for a glamour pose. Perry followed the mirthful mien of former House Majority Leader Tom Delay (R-TX 22nd) who took a smiling mugshot when another Travis County grand jury indicted him on political charges (N.B.- Delay's conviction on trumped up campaign finance charges was overturned on appeal as there was not sufficient legal evidence for conviction). Alas, Governor Perry did not seem to listen to "the Exterminator" Tom Delay's warnings about the Travis County D.A.'s office, as Ms. Lehmberg is in the same mold as her predecessor Ronnie Earle.

These are not the only prominent instances of the Travis County D.A. playing politics through malicious indictments. After Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX) won a special election with 67% of the vote to fill the U.S. Senate seat vacated by Lloyd Benson (D-TX) in 1993, Travis County D.A. Ronnie Earle concocted charges of Hutchison allegedly abusing power as State Treasurer for ordering records destroyed. Indubitably, this was meant to tarnish Hutichson's re-election bid in 1994. But minutes after the trial got underway, the case was thrown out and the judge directed a "Not Guilty" verdict. As former Senator Hutchison reflected at the time: "The only crime I committed was doing a great job as state treasurer and winning an election by a landslide."

In this constitutional Republic, we remain a nation of laws not of men. Governor Perry acquiescing to a mug shot shows that the Governor still believes in the ultimate fairness process. However, do not let Rick Perry's happy face fool you, as he will vigorously fight what he believes is an unrighteous political prosecution.

But before you take the Russian Orthodox's philippic as gospel, there are a few things to consider. The Uniates are Eastern rite Catholics (whose worship is quite similar to the Orthodox except they are loyal to the Pope) is only the majority in three Western Ukrainian Oblasts. Of the 75% of Ukrainians who believe in God, just over 5% are "Greek Catholics".

Patriarch Kirill referred to the Euromaidan (which he called the Kiev Maidan), in which he alleges that the some of the Uniate demonstrators denounced from the dais Orthodox and called for the eradication of Orthodoxy in Ukraine. Really? The Euromaidan hosted HOURLY ecumenical prayers for the several months that protesters made their stand at the Maidan in the freezing cold. It seems rather implausible that an extreme minority faith working in an ecumenical environment for positive change would agitate for eradicating Orthodoxy from Ukraine. This sounds more like Russian Intelligence Disinformation which preys upon long standing schisms of Christianity rather than the facts on the ground in the Donboss.

To rebut Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kiril's charges, the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church released an official statement which reads in part:

The Ukrainain Greek-Catholic Church has appealed throughout all the
months of the violent uprisings for searching ways of peacefully
regulating this. Simultaneously, it does not contradict the right and
obligation of Ukrainian citizens to protect their freedom and
independence. Together with representatives of other Churches and
religious organizations, UGCC is making concrete efforts to provide
humanitarian assistance to the victims-residents of the Eastern regions
of Ukraine, regardless of their nationality or religious affiliation.
We categorically condemn any violence towards the peaceful residents of
Ukraine, especially its clergy, regardless of the fact to which
confession, religious or ethnic group they may belong. Once again, we
remind all of the appeal of the All-Ukrainian Council of Churches and
Religious Organizations for an immediate end of the violence and the
surrender of arms by all illegally armed contingents, whose evil deeds
have taken the lives of hundreds of Ukrainian soldiers, law enforcement
personnel, and civilians, including women and children. Attempts to claim that during the Anti-Terrorist Operation (ATO) the
Orthodox faithful of the Moscow Patriarchate are the only ones who
suffer, is a dangerous intention to set off the whole Ukrainian society
against one confession. Intolerable is the evil attempt to label the
realization of the natural right of the Ukrainian people for freedom and
independence of their country, into the inter-confessional area, which
provokes new tensions and new sadness in Ukrainian society – this time
in the activities of inter-confessional relations. Today Ukraine needs
from its church men not a provocation of violence, but a construction of
peace.Ukrainian armed forces are not structured according to confessions.
Therefore, in the area of ATO activities, there are chaplains of
various confessions.

After the fall of the Western Roman Empire occurred in the 5th Century A.D., Eastern Christendom was ecclesiastically governed by autocelaphous bishops (where a head bishop does not report to higher ecclesial authority) in regions. Unfortunately, autocelaphaly can caesaropapism (combining the power of secular government with the religious power, or making it superior to the spiritual authority of the Church).

Sunday, August 10, 2014

Now that President Obama declared that the United States would commence air strikes in Iraq for humanitarian help to the Yazidis who ISIS is committing genocide, one can wonder if Mr. Obama lead America on an early retreat from Mesopotomia.

President Obama has declared that there will be no soldiers deployed for these new missions over Iraq. Perhaps he thinks that unless there are boots on the ground that there is not war. But the Military Times reports that these "targeted air strikes" will require 15,000 troops. Because there are no longer American troops stationed in Iraq, this will have to be done via carriers or distant air bases.

Mr. Obama blames the Maliki government for not agreeing to a SOFA. Perhaps some blame lies with Chief US negotiator Vice President Joe Biden. But this was more likely a SOFA strategy designed to fail from the Oval Office . Having US troops with immunity in Iraq would be a tough sell for the Maliki government. The Pentagon wanted 10,000 to 15,000 troops and they were wanted by the Iraqi government. The Commander-In-Chief countered with a bid of 3,000 troops. This token level was unacceptable to the Iraqi government as it was ineffective and not worth the heat in their domestic politics. So President Obama could brag about bringing the boys back home from Iraq for his re-election campaign as a promise kept.

And here we are today. Bringing the fight back to Iraq after an early retreat. Not having the infrastructure on the ground which American troops fought so hard. Needing to do costly missions from carriers. Fighting an evil enemy with too little and to late help to prevent humanitarian atrocities with Christians, Yazidis and Sunni Muslims who do not suit ISIS.

So Mr. Obama announced timorous airstrikes without a set strategy or a timetable. Then Mr Obama flew off to Martha's Vineyard for another several week vacation. .

A fortnight later, 40,000 Kurds who practice the Yazidi faith were herded onto Mount Sinjar and left to fend for themselves or be slaughtered. Yazidis have a monotheistic faith which has roots in Zoroastrianism with elements of Islam as well as Christianity.

What may have prompted President Obama to act in the case of the Yazidis rather than the Iraqi Christians may have been concentrated the ethnic on a mountaintop for genocide and then bragging about it on Twitter. Or perhaps it was ISIS terrorists putting Yazidi kids' heads on a pike as a message to the world. Nonetheless, former Governor Mike Huckabee has it right, it is evil

Saturday, August 9, 2014

Former President Jimmy Carter authored a piece published in Foreign Policy along with ex Irish President (and UN Human Rights Commissioner) titled: "How to Fix It" which suggests that ending the Gaza War begins with recognizing Hamas as a legitimate political actor.

When Mr. Carter spoke at the Elders event at the Oxford Center for Islamic Studies, the 89 year old former President joked that Elders are "Has Beens" who do not have any real power. Considering Robinson's and Carter's modest proposal on "How To Fix It" is a good thing.

What might be a better thing is for aides who care about preserving any remaining modicum of Carter's good reputation and keeping him off the center stage. Carter has become increasingly anti-semitic as he has aged. However, this latter day foray in foreign policy serves as a reminder as to why Carter is considered by many to be the second worst President in modern history. President George W. Bush has scrupulously avoided commenting on current affairs so as not to interfere with his successors. This is a courtesy which Carter can not claim.

Forty years ago today, Richard Nixon resigned from the office of President of the United States. The Nixon Administration was roiled in the Watergate scandal.

While Nixon had no hand in the Watergate break-in, the Oval Office taping system threatened to expose President Nixon as involved in the cover up. In order to avoid impeachment and continuing the American nightmare, Nixon chose to resign the office and return to San Clemente, California leaving Vice President Gerald Ford in charge at the White House.

Nixon's peroration reflects knowing both the deepest valleys and the highest mountains: "Always give your best, never get discouraged, never be petty; always
remember, others may hate you, but those who hate you don't win unless
you hate them, and then you destroy yourself."

Wednesday, August 6, 2014

“It is the same group we faced in the South with those white crackers
and the dogs and the police. They didn’t care about how they looked. It
was just fierce indifference to human life that caused America to say
enough is enough. ‘I don’t want to see it and I am not a part of it.’
What the hell! If you have to bomb little kids and send dogs out against
human beings, give me a break.”

Former Minnesota Governor Jesse Ventura (Reform-MN), who also can boast that he was once a Navy SEAL, won a defamation civil lawsuit against the estate of American Sniper author Chris Kyle. In American Sniper (2012), Kyle's best selling book about being a Navy SEAL and who credited as the most lethal sniper in American history, he alluded to a bar brawl with "Scruff Face". This unnamed individual who was bad mouthing America military involvement at the wake for a fellow SEAL. During the publicity tour for the book, Kyle was asked by Opie and Anthony if the boisterous attendee was Jesse Ventura and Kyle answered honesty.

Taya Kyle at her husband's funeral Feb.2013

Ventura's suit alleged emotional distress and defamation of character seeking a $15 million in damages. Since Chris Kyle had been killed in Feburary 2013 as he helped a fellow veteran deal with PTSD, so that meant that defending the defamation suit fell upon Kyle's widow and single mother Taya Kyle. Ventura's lawyers argued that: “it would be unjust to permit the estate to continue to profit from
Kyle’s wrongful conduct and to leave Governor Ventura without redress
for ongoing damage to his reputation.”

While the jurors rendered their verdict, the public relations appeal certainly was not favorable. Ventura claimed that he initiate the defamation suit to clear his name in the prospect of a 2016 Presidential run as an Independent. Ventura better not expect any support from reform minded conservatives, based on the reaction to the Ventura verdict.

Former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin (R-AK) used her presence on social media and her new SarahPalinchannel.com streaming network to go Mamma Grizzly on ex-SEAL and WWF wrestler sometimes known as "The Governor".

Palin's point about the irony when a supposedly strong public figure like former Governor Ventura running to lawyers when words get rough and tumble in the public arena is made more poignant because of "Sarahcuda's" savaging in the media.

Marcus Luttrell, the now medically retired Navy SEAL who wrote the book Lone Survivor (2007) about his ordeal in Afghanistan in Operation Red Wing, was not as subtle as Sarah Palin in her criticism of the Ventura verdict. Luttrell used social media to post several memes which reminded the world that Ventura was picking on a widow.

Aside from the bad optics of battling against a widow, Ventura violated a key precept of SEAL culture, namely having your brothers-in-arms' backs. No wonder why Jesse joked that he would be unwelcome at future SEALs reunions.

Glenn Beck has facetiously referred to himself as a "rodeo clown" closely identifies with the honor of military men and women. In fact, the impetus to hold Restoring Honor in 2010 was to both restore honor in America but as a fund raiser for the non-profit Special Operations Warriors Foundation, a charity providing college scholarships to children of KIA special force personnel. So Ventura's victory in court in a defamation suit against Special Operator's widow prompted an unusual answer.

Beck is all about honor and pro arguendo could appreciate Ventura trying to recover his good name. But Beck suggests that after winning the case Ventura should forgo collecting the cash from a widow. It is a common sense solution which would restore his honor and burnish his brief for future public service. But I'll bet that is as likely as Jesse Ventura scoring Howard Stern for his VICE Presidential running mate in 2016.

Now that the courts has restored Jesse Ventura's good name, as it is, it is appropriate for the court of public opinion to judge Jesse Ventura's character. After all, Ventura claims: "I would rather be uncomfortable with the truth than be lied to in comfort. That's my nature."

Ventura's television venture on the Ora TV "Jesse Ventura: Conspiracy Theories" has evolved to "Jesse Ventura: Off the Grid", as the 62 year old pro wrestler turned politician is hiding from drones and broadcasting someplace in Mexico Ventura claims that he will continue to broadcast as long as his solar panels and satellite connection holds up.

The first President of the Russian Federation, Boris Yeltsin had a rough time transitioning the Soviet command and control economy into a free market economy as privatization had a good deal of the nation's wealth fall into the hands of a handful of oligarchs. When Yeltsin suddenly resigned the office on December 31, 1999 and left the office to Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, Yeltsin had an approval rating of 2%. Still an American rock group named itself "Somebody Still Loves You, Boris Yeltsin".

Sunday, August 3, 2014

Natalia Godunka, a 29 year old world class Rhythmic Gymnast from Ukraine, decided to auction her team Gold Medal from the 2001 World Championships in Madrid to support the Ukrainian army in the War of the Donbass (Eastern Ukraine).

To get an idea of the caliber of athlete Godonko is, witness her frenetic but flawless ribbon performance at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China.

Godunka boyfriend, musician SashaPolozhynsky, announced the auction of the medal on Facebook. Plozhynsky regrets that Godunka put the medal up for auction but since it has been bid upon, he hopes that it will raise more money and inspire others to also help fund the cause.

Godunko sacrificing her gold medal to support her country's army to inspire shared sacrifice to forestall Finlandization of Ukraine by Russian President Vladimir Putin's expansionistic incursions using non-linear warfare.Many celebrities will spout off about causes about which they know little or that lending their support comes at no cost. It is admirable that Ukrainian athletes like Natalia Godunko as well as Olg and Bohdana Matsohski are willing to personally sacrifice for their country and their freedom. h/t: Ukrainian Pravda

Saturday, August 2, 2014

During a long winded Friday afternoon press conference, President Barack Obama blithely blustered that "we tortured folks" when pursuing the War on Terror. The President's imprudent utterance undermines a Senate Intelligence Committee Report which goes out of its way not to declare harsh CIA tactics as torture. Obama's opinion from the Oval Office could have serious legal, political, diplomatic and criminal implications. But at least President Obama did not just Blame Bush, he threw the CIA under the bus too. Funny how this President is willing to imperil intelligence offers at the tip of the spear who get actionable intelligence to keep us safe, but will execute his forays against militants via drone to get a several news cycle lead headline.This talk of torture in the War on Terror supposedly confused actor James Woods on Twitter: